Loud, Proud and I don't care about hurting a conservative's feelings!

Republicans Go Back On Their Word. No One Is Surprised.

After earlier indications that they would make substantial cuts to domestic programs to preserve defense spending, the House Appropriations Committee made it official yesterday, setting a spending level $27 billion below the level agreed to in the debt deal. The committee, bowing to the GOP’s more conservative wing, will make deep cuts to food assistance, financial regulations, and a host of other programs, setting up the potential for a government shutdownwhen the fiscal year ends in October

The political calculus here is not clear at all. The House GOP is threatening a shut down if President Obama vetoes their appropriations bill. Why would he veto it? Because the House GOP is ignoring the deal they made during last year’s debt ceiling fiasco in which they were roundly criticized for being dicks. Obama has stated that they can either stick to the deal or he’ll shoot down their alternative which, of course, attacks social programs but avoids cuts that Republicans don’t like.

The bet that the GOP is making that people will have VERY short memories and forget the huge screaming mess they made last year. The GOP is already claiming that if the shutdown happens, it will be because of Obama not being reasonable. Americans have short memories but not THAT short. Also, cutting food stamps which tens of millions of people (mostly white despite what the GOP would have you believe) rely on in order to keep spending money on bullets doesn’t sound like a particularly winning strategy.

There must be a limit to how much abuse conservatives are willing to take from Republicans in order to “stick it” to Obama. I hope we find it soon.